1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical apparatus, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to an energy saving system for the retrieval of thermal energy loss by an electrical apparatus.
2. Discussion
In a typical industrial plant, certain electrical systems generate a significant amount of thermal energy that is dissipated into the surrounding air. There are some such systems, such as air compressor units, that are usually located externally to the plant; an external location site is selected for such equipment for a variety of reasons, including considerations of space utilization, building environmental capacities, noise levels, and perhaps other considerations. In any event, it is not at all uncommon to find an electrical air compressor and its driving motor located in the outside atmosphere.
Even when such installations are located inside the plant, unless the heat given off can be distributed as required inside the plant, the heat losses of the compressors becomes a real problem, as balanced environmental control of the plant becomes difficult. For a large number of plants, the plant compressor or compressor bank represents the largest single source of heat generation outside of the plant's environmental control system. It is no small consideration then to achieve proper utilization of the waste heat of such air compressors, or at least to provide for efficient heat dissipation therefrom.